1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to a peripheral device for use with a host computer. More particularly, the invention relates to a peripheral device having a card shaped interface. Specifically, the invention relates to a peripheral device having a card shaped interface which is accepted in an industry standard card slot and which is releasably and rigidly supported from the host computer via the card shaped interface.
2. Background Information
Since the advent of the personal computer, manufacturers and industrial users have continually developed faster, smaller and more versatile machines, including portable computers that are dedicated to perform a specific function such as word processing, data collection or item identification. Alternatively, portable computers may be all purpose computing machines capable of running a variety of types of software programs. These portable personal computers may interact with a variety of portable and stationary peripheral input/output devices such as printers, light pens, image scanners, video scanners, etc. Moreover, these computers usually have an electric power cord for receiving power from a standard electric outlet, as well as a battery pack for powering the unit when an electrical outlet is unavailable or is inconvenient. The portability and versatility of portable computers, in combination with the ever decreasing size and weight of these machines, has attracted a significant number of users, with the number of users expected to dramatically increase in the near term.
Portable computers have progressed significantly, and the industry has recently enjoyed the introduction of palm top computers and pen based systems. One example of such a system is the Newton.TM. personal digital assistant (PDA) manufactured by Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Another such device, Envoy.TM., is offered by Motorola Inc., of Schaunburg, Ill. PDAs are general purpose computers that often include communication capabilities such as fax boards and modems, as well as software packages including word processing, note taking, handwriting recognition, and daily planners. The costs of these versatile portable computers continue to decrease as they are becoming increasingly familiar in all areas of business and personal life, and the manufacturers enjoy savings due to the economies of scale associated with mass production.
Alternatively, dedicated computers are designed to fill a specific need. One such device is manufactured by Symbol Technologies Inc. of Bohemia, N.Y. and is the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,100. While devices of this type offer added convenience to the end user, these devices are generally user specific, and thus are not mass produced and do not enjoy the economies of scale associated with mass production. Thus, these devices are somewhat more costly than the mass produced PDA counterpart.
Both general purpose and dedicated computers generally include one or more electronic interfaces such that one or more of a variety of peripherals may be electrically attached to the host computer. Serial ports are one type of connector wherein a cable extends between the host computer serial port and the peripheral providing electronic communication between the host machine and selected peripheral.
A second type of electronic interface commonly available is the PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) slot. PCMCIA slots permit the user to add additional memory via the insertion of a PCMCIA memory card into the slot. Such additional memory may then be removed and used in a separate computer system allowing multiple systems to operate on a single data set. PCMCIA interfaces continue to grow in popularity, and a San Hosea based market research firm has estimated that half of the seven million notebook computers shipped in 1993 contained PCMCIA slots, and that by 1995, 13 million notebook computers will be shipped and 97% of them will be equipped with PCMCIA slots. As such, PCMCIA slots are quickly becoming standard in both PDA, lap top and personal desk top computers, and the popularity of the PCMCIA interface is expected to dramatically increase in the near term.
The primary benefit of the PCMCIA interface and similar card interface slots is that the cards are relatively low energy users, are relatively small in size, are often completely enveloped by the host computer and are universally standardized. PCMCIA card specifications are included in PCMCIA release number 2.01 and therefore, are not described herein.
One peripheral which is often associated with portable computers are item identification readers such as laser scanners for bar codes and radio frequency identification readers for RFID tags. Traditionally, these scanners are handheld devices which are connected to a host device such as a personal computer or a handheld computer via an interface cable extending between the above referenced serial port, and the peripheral device. One such device is a handheld laser scanner described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,297. The laser scanner optically receives the code, and the host device in turn processes and stores the scanned item identification number. Such devices have the advantage of making use of general purpose host computers, and thus are relatively inexpensive. However, they require both of the users hands during operation, and thus are not convenient to use when only one hand is free to hold the host computer/peripheral device combination.
Alternatively, the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,100 has the scanner integrated within the handheld device to form a computer with a dedicated function.
The portable point of sale device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,782, to Kumar is also a dedicated machine. Another device which includes a built in scanner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,868. These devices do not provide a one piece scanning system which use an off-the-shelf general purpose host computer. Such dedicated computers are effective in carrying out the specific function for which they are designed. However, these computers are significantly more expensive than the two piece solution, as these devices do not utilize mass produced host computers.
Mustech Inc. has also introduced the Plug-N-Scan portable scanning system where the scanner interfaces with a PCMCIA 2.0 slot. The unit draws power from the host system and is compliant with TWAIN compatible scanning software which bridges various application software packages with scanner hardware. In essence, the Plug-N-Scan portable scanning system utilizes a PCMCIA electrical connection, and a cable extends from the PCMCIA electrical connect card to the scanner module. This system, while presumably adequate for the purpose for which it was intended, still does not mechanically support the scanner and provide a one piece host computer/peripheral device combination, nor does it provide for one handed operation.
Thus, while a number of prior art general purpose and dedicated computing devices have been developed, and are presumably adequate for the purpose which they are intended, these prior art devices fail to provide item identification scanning systems which employ a cost effective general purpose host computer, and also offer the one piece convenience of integrated scanning systems such that the user employs only one hand to hold the device. Further, the prior art peripherals will not electronically interface and be detachably mounted to the general purpose host computer, thus permitting the peripheral module to be mounted to the host computer when in use, and removed from the general purpose host computer when not in use.
Therefore, the need exists for a peripheral device which will electronically interface with a general purpose host computer and also will removably attach to the host computer thus creating a one piece handheld computer which includes the peripheral's capability, and which peripheral may be removed from the general purpose host computer when not in use.
The need also exists for an item identification scanning system which employs a cost effective general purpose host computer and also offers the one piece convenience of integrated scanning systems to permit one handed use.
Objectives of the invention include providing a peripheral device which may be removably secured to a host computer and electronically connected thereto.
A further objective is to provide a one piece peripheral device which includes a card shaped portion for extending into a standardized card slot.
Yet another objective is to provide a peripheral device wherein the card shaped portion extends into the card slot of the host computer to support the peripheral device.
A further objective of the invention is to provide a peripheral device wherein the card shaped portion electronically interfaces with the card slot.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a peripheral device which is cable connected electronically to the host computer outside the card slot.
A still further objective is to provide a peripheral wherein the module includes an item identification reader.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a peripheral wherein a module portion is removably attached to the card shaped portion such that when the module portion is mounted to the card portion, the user may operate the host computer and peripheral with one hand, and when the module portion is removed from the card shaped portion, the user can use two hands to operate the combination host computer/peripheral device.
A still further objective of the invention is to provide an item identification scanning system which employs a cost effective general purpose host computer, with a peripheral item identification scanner electronically connected to, and removably secured to, the host computer.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a peripheral device which is PCMCIA compatible.
A still further objective is to provide such a card shaped peripheral device which is of a simple construction, which achieves the stated objectives in a simple, effective and inexpensive manner, and which solves problems and satisfies needs existing in the art.
These and other objectives and advantages of the improved invention are obtained by the peripheral device, the general nature of which may be stated as including a card shaped portion adapted to be received within the card slot; a module portion connected to said card shaped portion; electrical connector means adapted for electronically connecting said peripheral device to the host computer; mechanical securing means for securing said card shaped portion within the slot; and item identification reader means housed within said module portion for reading an item identification tag.